Love and Living
by Sarra Torrens
Summary: Cassie has some tough decisions to make. And this is one of the difficult ones. The hardest. Affairs of her own heart. Rated PG 13
1. Cosmic Trip

Disclaimer: I do not own Biker Mice from Mars Brentwood Funnies do. I own...this idea. :) I do not own Power Rangers. Rated PG 13 Violence, Strong Language. Power Rangers Astro Second Season.

Love and Living:

Ch 1: Cosmic Trip:

It had been a hard day, but she smiled as she looked up at her friends. She was glad for them, and glad they were there. She giggled when she looked over and saw Zhane get dumped in the pool outside her house when she looked up. Cassie Chan, Pink Astro Ranger and all around American girl, looked at her friends and howled. Then when her friends, TJ Johnston and Carlos Vargas came towards her she put her hands up in front of her and tried to get them away from her.

"NO...!" She cried out as they picked her up and tossed her in the pool, but she turned it around on them by grabbing them both and dragging them in with her. They laughed as she came up for air.

Cassie smiled and Ashley Hammond gave her a hand out of the pool, and Andros tossed her a fluffy pink towel. "Thanks, Andros." He smiled. "Anytime." After a while, the others left for their own homes, and she was by herself. She smiled as she snuggled her pillow, in her bedroom, and looked at the pictures along her bookcases. She was greatful for her friends. Greatful that she had them, because it wasn't easy being Cassie Chan.

Then, all of a sudden, there was a flash, and she screamed as she felt like she was falling. "Dear GOD!" She cried. Then she felt something. A pair of furry arms. "Huh?" She asked, confused. "Hang on. Your safe." A burly voice said. She smiled. Then, she fainted. He smiled and got her somewhere safe and warm. She slept, and then her brown black eyes opened up again, hours later it seemed like.

"Huh? Where?" She asked. Cassie held her asian head. "Crap." She muttered. There was a soft chuckle. "Phantom?" She muttered. "No such luck I am afraid." The voice answered. The room stopped spinning and she looked up, and smiled as she saw a furry person...well, mouse. "You are?" She asked the grey furred mouse with a welded in chestplate, and a one eye, and a mechanical arm. "Name's Modo, Ma'am, nice to meet you." She smiled. "Cassie Chan." "Nice to meet you, too, Modo. Where am I?" She asked. He smiled.

"Chicago, and the Last Chance Garage, my good friend Charlene Davidson runs." He answered. "CHICAGO!" She exclaimed and he winced at how loud she got. He nodded. "Yes Ma'am." She smiled. "Where are you from?" She smiled. "Angel Grove." She said. His jaw dropped, and she saw his rather buck teeth and smiled.

"Cheese." He muttered. She smiled. "Take me to your leader." She monotoned, and he laughed. "Throttle will be up in a minute, hang on." He bolted out the door and yelled for his leader and friend. She smiled and then sat up and looked at a tall tan Mouse that was six feet tall, had sunglasses and was wearing leather and bluejeans and leather boots. Cassie smiled. "Cassie Chan, nice to meet you." Throttle smiled. "Throttle. Nice to meet you too. Vinnie's around here some where, you'll meet him later." She nodded. "Cassie, how did you get here?" She shook her head. "Don't really know, a light entered my bedroom in Angel Grove and boom. Here I am." He sighed and ran his hand down his face.

"Cheese." He muttered just like Modo. Cassie smiled. "Angel Grove, Power Rangers?" He thought out loud. She smiled. "Yeah." She said. "I know one of them, Tommy Oliver." She raised a dark eyebrow. "How?" He smiled. "He came to Chicago before going to Reefside." She heard him say. She smiled. "Call him, and tell him that Cassie Chan's been found and is in Chicago, safe, would you?...I know him quiet well. Gave us the reigns as it were." She said. Throttle looked shocked. As did Modo.

"Okay sweetheart. Just give me a moment or two." She nodded and looked at the glass of water on the side table beside the bed. She grabbed it, and the pills beside her and drank the lot and took the pills. She smiled as Modo gave her a hand to get up. She took it and tumbled into his chest. "Ooops...Sorry..." She broke from him and smiled as he blushed.

"Sorry about that." He nodded. "No problem, Ma'am." He said with a smile, as she smiled back. She smiled and then the door opened again. Cassie got up and rolled her neck and her head. A young woman came to the door, and Cassie looked at the mahogany hair, and the rather built frame. "Charley Davidson, nice to meet you." She said. Cassie smiled. "Cassie Chan, likewise." She said with a grin and shook hands.

"So what brings you to Chicago?" Charley asked as she led Cassie to the living room of her apartment above the Garage. "Not sure." Charley turned. "What do you mean?" She asked. Cassie smiled as she said, "I was teleported somehow, from Angel Grove." She said. "I was in my bedroom, relaxing, and then bam, here I am, well, I...Landed in Modo's arms somehow." "My friends are going to freak about my whereabouts..." She muttered.

Cassie smiled as she then heard a classic beep from her communicator. She answered it. "Its Cassie." "Go ahead." She said. There was a woosh of belted air. It was a familiar voice on the other end. "CASSIE! Thank God your alright!" She chuckled. "I am fine. No worse than a headache, and a teleportation to another city in the good old U. A." "Chicago." There was a pause and then a "CHICAGO?" From the voice, her leader, Andros. She smiled. "It's alright Andros." "I'm in the company of some rather friendly people. Safe people, of sorts." Andros spluttered and she smiled. Throttle came to her and she handed him her communicator and showed him which buttons to push.

"My name is Throttle, I am the Military leader of the Biker Mice From Mars; Earth Division. How may I assist you?" Cassie tried not to laugh. Andros smiled. "Get us reunited with our comrade. We'll travel to Chicago if you do not mind. It will be me and the Blue Ranger." She heard and Cassie smiled. "Permission granted." Throttle said.

"We'll be there in...twelve hours tops." Cassie smiled. "Thanks Andros." She said. She smiled as Throttle handed her back her communicator. "Thanks." She said as she buckled it to her wrist again. "Shall I take ya on a tour Ma'am?" That question was from Modo. She nodded. "Sounds good." She said as she pulled on the leather jacket that she had snagged from her bedpost at home. Charley tossed her her helmet. "Thanks." Charley smiled.

"Anytime." She said. Cassie grinned again, as she got on Modo's Bike, Lil' Hoss. She heard a beeping from the Bike, and she said to it, "Its okay, I'm just hanging out that's all dear." Modo looked shocked. "You can tell what she's sayin'?" He asked in shock. "A little." "It seems." "Instinct I guess." She said. "And I hang out around computer type things alot on a regular basis anyway." Cassie smiled as she finished that. Modo smiled too. Cassie hugged his waist and biceps as they turned a rather sharp corner on top of the park's hill, over looking the city. Cassie took off her helmet and shook her long black straight locks from her face. "That's what I hate about helmets...helmet hair." Modo chuckled.

She looked up and across and her eyes lit when she saw Limburger's Tower. "So let me guess. Stinky slimeball alien wants to take over the Earth." Modo nodded speechlessly. Cassie smiled. "Looks like we have a similar problem. Our Alien, wants all us Rangers to be toasted and her world to shine. On her." "Not a stink ball, but slimy with out the slime none the less." Cassie said with a smile. She sighed, as she felt Modo take her in his arms. "We will win our own battles. I have no fear of that. I have no fear that we will get a chance to see each other again too." She smiled.

"I...there might be someone else, Modo, I didn't tell you. A Ranger, named Phantom, we've been fighting against our enemy Astronema for a long time, and he watched for me when we fought against Divatox, before the Power Chamber blew up...I don't know where that will go, but I care about him alot." Modo's eye narrowed but he nodded and let her go. "Its alright. I will always be your friend, Cassie and if you need me at all, ever...here." He gave her a messaging crystal. Cassie took the medium sized crystal in her hands and held them and smiled at him. "Thank you..." She said. She gave him her spare communicator. She showed him the buttons. "I'll remember." His deep voice soothing her. She got a call on her communicator. "Cassie here." She said.

"This is Andros, we're coming to you. Where?" He asked. She smiled. "Last Chance Garage, Garage is the last spot out of town." "Meetcha there." She said. She looked at Modo who nodded as she put her helmet on. He did his, and they got to the Garage moments later.

Cassie smiled as she got off Lil' Hoss. "Thanks girl." The Bike beeped. Cassie smiled. She looked over at the living room of the Garage and smiled as she saw her friends. "Hey guys!" She called over. "CASSIE!" They yelped and ran over to her. TJ grabbed her into a great big bear hug. "Teej..." She moaned. "Let me breathe?" She asked in a choking voice. TJ smiled and let her go. "We were worried." "Figured Astronema had you." She smiled. "I've been alright, I've had good company." She said. TJ smiled as Andros had taken her aside to tell her that. He hugged her. "Glad your okay." She nodded. "Really." "Modo, Throttle and Vinnie have kept me from going ballistic." She said.

Modo and the other two Mice blushed. The two Power Ranger teens chuckled. They went to the Mice and told them, "Thank you for looking out for her, and watching her back." Modo smiled. "Anytime." "If ya'll need to get ahold of us, I gave Cassie a communication crystal." Cassie held up the crystal then tucked it away again. They smiled and then Andros did something unusual. He offered them a tour of the AstroMegaship, which they took greatfully.


	2. Mice's Tour

Disclaimer: I do not own Biker Mice from Mars Brentwood Funnies do. I own...this idea. :) I do not own Power Rangers. Rated PG 13 Violence, Strong Language. Power Rangers Astro Second Season.

Love and Living:

Chapter 2: Mice's Tour:

As they got to the elevator, Andros apologized for the big squeeze. "Its alright. We've had worse." "Transporter." Was the word that was passed around and a chuckle. They got up to the main deck of the AstroMegaShip, and the team was greeted by enthusicastic Yellow and Black Rangers. "Cassie!" Ashley squeeled so that the Mice made an visable wince.

Cassie smiled and introduced the Mice and Charley. Cassie winked at Modo who winked back with his one eye. "This ship is huge! And amazing." Charley said. Andros smiled. "We have it pretty easy sometimes, and it helps that D.E.C.A., our on board computer is very efficient." Andros told them. Then they saw someone else come from the bridge. It was Zhane.

Cassie took his hug quietly. "Glad to be home." She said with a whisper. He smiled. "Glad your okay." He said as he let go of her shoulders after he made sure that his good partner and friend was okay. Cassie nodded once, and then she let go. She asked about Phantom Ranger. "You find out anything about him?" She asked. He smiled. There was a voice on the other side of the bridge. It was Alpha 6." Yo yo yo, Cassie, He'd been when you were first missing and went off like a shot, and now it's gonna take time to reach him." She nodded. "Understood." She said and her eyes went dark again. Modo touched her arm with his good hand. She nodded. "Its okay." "I understand its a busy and risky job like ours." "...Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it." She said. Zhane nodded.

There was an uncomfortable lapsed silence, a long one too, and the Mice and Charley were given a tour around the ship, and then Charley cursed. "Looks like I have an appointment waiting for me back at the shop. Glad you have found your people Cassie, and if you need your mecha repaired, small mecha, by the way..." She said as she looked at Andros' eager eyes. "Bikes and Gliders only eh Charley?" She asked. Charley nodded. Zhane smiled. "I might have you have a look through my bike one day if you don't mind Charley." She nodded her mahogany haired head nodded.

Charley smiled as she was given a communicator as were the three Mice, who decided that they should head back to the Scoreboard. Modo looked at Cassie once more and stroked her cheek. "If you ever need me..." She nodded.

"Likewise." She said. She smiled. Cassie smiled and waved goodbye. Then she got home after she was debriefed by Ashley on what they did over the weekend. "Thanks Ash." She said, as she hugged her friend. Cassie got home and told her parents the cover story and they were very happy. And they went onto their previous scheduled program and Cassie had a hard time focusing on school at all between the powers, the dealings with Astronema and the sidebar trip to Chicago, she was concerned about her Biker Mice friends.

She had nightmares every second night, and she dreamed about Modo and Phantom constantly. She was torn about what to do. Deciding on giving up to bother about them she concentrated on school and gave it everything she got until the next crisis. And she did very well.


	3. Talk of Family and Love

Chapter 3: Talk Of Family and Love:

It'd been rather quiet over the last few weeks and Cassie was wondering what the heck Astronema was pulling. It was frustrating to Andros because it was so quiet and he was more of a fighter because he was a fighter ever since his sister was taken, so he tried another approach to his sister's disapperance. He had to find her. His mission.

Ashley was giving it her all to be by Andros' side through the whole process and even she needed to tie his butt down to his bed so he would get **some** sleep. Cassie had noticed the others had gone on to do their own thing, and Zhane was rather left to his own devices, as was she, even though that was fairly unusual. Especially these days. She figured he'd be hunting after something sinister again. "Zhane?" She asked once as she wondered the halls of the Megaship. He was in the Zord bay working on the Mega Winger as it gotten really smacked in that last attack from Astronema and the Dark Fortress. "Here." She heard as she looked up. She smiled, and climbed up the scaffolding.

There had been pouches on her sides as she held bottles of water there whenever she was working. He stopped and took a bit of a break outside of the Mega sat on the scaffolding, and sipped at their bottles of water and he looked at her. "You okay?" She heard him ask her. She nodded. After taking a long drink, she looked at him. "You?" She asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. Still wondering if Karone's out there somewhere and if its going to be such a terrible cosmic joke when we find her, or not, you know?" Zhane asked. "If she's alive or not. Or captured or worse, turned evil. If that ever happened, Andros would go crazy and I'm worried he'll go AWOL." He muttered. Cassie squeezed his hand. "I'm sure he wouldn't do that. He's too military for that." Zhane chuckled. "Your right. I'm glad he has a team now. I was more worried when the other team died. And when I was frozen...I wish I could've gotten out of that coffin and smacked him upside the head and told him he was being completely stupid." She hugged him.

"Thanks." He said softly. "Hey...what we do for family...right?" She asked. He nodded. She fell into silence, and then said, "We don't really know each other that well do we?" She asked him. He smiled and shook his head. "Would you tell me your story? I know Andros said it but it would be different from your perspective...I guess?" She left that hanging and he smiled. She smiled at his nod. "Alright. Well. I grew up beside Andros and Karone and we three became tight friends, even despite our ages, as I was about a couple of years older than Andros. I always looked for a party and never gave thought to anyone except Andros and Karone for years even my folks were none to proud of my attitude, and my discipline. I wonder if they are proud of me now, where ever they are?" She smiled and touched his forearm.

"I'm sure they are, Zhane." She said quietly and let him continue. Meanwhile, there was a teleportation through that conversation and Andros and Ashley came back from a previous mission on another moon near Onyx, the prison planet. He heard talking, and put a finger to his lips to Ashley, as she started to talk to him, and then she shut up. She listened for the conversation, and smiled when she heard Zhane and Cassie.

Andros smiled as he headed towards the bridge. "I'm glad he's found someone he can talk to at least. Maybe Zhane and Cassie can become good friends at least." He said. She nodded. "I hope so too." She hugged him, and then looked at how tired he was. "Go get some sleep in my room. That way you won't disturb Zhane and Cassie, and you can catch a little shut eye." She said.

He nodded. "Thanks Ashley. You got the control of the ship...just, don't get it trashed by a wondering meteorite, right?" She chuckled and hugged him. "Oh you..." She shook her finger at him and he smiled. She fingered the necklace he gave her for her seventeenth birthday with a smile on her lips and a roll of her eyes. "Go. Or you won't get sleep till the next call like I know you." He nodded. He smiled. "Okay." He went and smiled as he yawned. He got to Ashley's room and smiled as he walked in. It was finally tastefully decorated. 'Must of had help from Cassie...' He thought as he fell asleep.

Ashley smiled as she sat in the 'Captain's chair' as TJ liked to quote. She started humming something beautiful. It was, _He Is_ by Brandy. D.E.C.A. had picked up the tune and started playing it softly. _"__It's the only explanation...To the question at hand...Like years of pain gone away_

_In a single day...There's nothing that compares...To the way...You make me feel inside...And I'm so glad you're my..."_

_ "__Prince charming,... my angel...My king and my friend...My lover, my one...He is, he is...The beat in my heart...The kiss on my lips...My lover, my one...He is, he is...""They could take away the money...My fortune and fame...But as long as you stay...Here with me...I would be OK...I look at you_

_And I see me...Just reflections of the love you made with me...And I'm so glad you want to be my..."__"__Prince charming,... my angel...My king and my friend...My lover, my one...He is, he is...The beat in my heart...The kiss on my lips...My lover, my one...He is, he is...""My sun, my shine...My love, my Life...He is everything...I gotta love you like no one has ever loved before...I gotta give you what you gave baby so much more!...I wanna take it fast, but I want to take it slow...Addicted to your love and I can't let go..."__"__Prince charming,... my angel...My king and my friend...My lover, my one...He is, he is...The beat in my heart...The kiss on my lips...My lover, my one...He is! He is!""I need ya oh I need ya!" _Cassie heard that song being sung and she smiled.

Zhane looked at her. "You okay?" He asked. She nodded. "Thinking about Phantom?" He questioned. She shrugged her shoulders. "I..." She sighed. Zhane smiled. "You will work it out which ever way you want it to go Cassie." She smiled. "I know, I just don't know which way though." She said frustratingly. He chuckled. "The heart can do that to a person. Make them all crazy." He said.

"Like when you thought you might be in love with Astronema?" She whispered. He jerked. "I..." She smiled. "Its okay Andros doesn't know." Zhane smiled. "Thanks." He told her in a whisper. But then he nodded. "Yeah." He said.

Cassie smiled and touched his shoulder. "We should get some rest. Its gonna be a long wait before she's ready to show up and put us in our places." She said as Zhane nodded. Cassie smiled as she was let go, and she went to her quarters. Sleeping soundly she smiled as she dreamed.

Six hours later she woke up. To DECA's alarm screaming. She cursed and ran out of her bedroom in her uniform that she slept in the night before.

"What's going on?" She cried as she entered the central command of the ship. He smiled. "Get to the scanner." Andros said. She nodded. She searched, and cursed. "Astronema!" She cursed. "The Dark Fortress is attacking us full boar and...CRAP!" Andros looked at her for a brief second. "What?" He asked. She looked scared. "We've got...Plutarkians too!" She said. The Kerovian Ranger cursed. "Aw Man!" She nodded. Then there was a hitting of the scanner.

"What?" Andros called back. She moaned. "We've got damn...idiots who oh...man!" "Martians, like the Mice too, they are here to help us with the Plutarkians." She said.

He smiled. "Good. The Plutarkians drive me crazy." "Ever since the destruction of Mars they've been on the warpath, litterally, to destroy every single planet without it actually being a war." He said with a deep growl. Ashley looked at him and then put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He nodded. Then there was a message from someone on the Dark Fortress they weren't expecting. "You!" Andros grimaced as he faced off his other great enemy, Ecliptor.

"Well, Andros. It's so nice to see you again." He said. Andros groused.

"What do you want?" He asked forcibly, one word at a time. He smiled.

"To let you know that your sister Karone is being held on the Plutarkian's ship." Was the word. Andros cursed.

"Temper temper..." He looked at Ecliptor.

"If your lying, I will personally make sure you can never come back." Andros said with venom in his voice.

Cassie smiled softly as she opened her eyes after Zhane came into the room. He smiled at her back, and then faced Ecliptor off with Andros at his side. "Go to hell Ecliptor." Ecliptor laughed.

"I would if I could." He said.

Even Cassie was having a hard time looking at his face. "Go Away Ecliptor." She said.

The screen went off. Andros looked at Cassie. "Thanks." She smiled.

"No problem." She said. "So how do we do this?" She asked.

"Zhane and I will go." She cursed.

"Andros..." He sighed.

"Someone needs to run the ship if we're in danger and to get us out Cassie." He almost whined.

"Not happening. Ashley would never forgive me if I let you two run amok all over the Plutarkian's ship to try and find Karone and lose you two because you didn't get out in time." She said. They nodded in agreement and went together.


End file.
